Farooq
Ahmad Bakloo
Research Scholar Dept. of Political Science S.S.J
campus, Almora Uttarakhand.
Abstract
The present study
Perceptions of
elected representatives about the Panchayat Capacity Building Programmes: a
study of Block Achabal was carried out in ten panchayat Halqus of Block Achabal
District Anantnag Jammu and Kashmir. For the study a total sample of 98
respondents was selected through convenience sampling technique and the data
was collected from them by the interview method. It was depicted from the study
that the three days training course was not enough especially the person who is
coming first in the local Governance. It was also found that despite this
training course the representatives cannot success in delivering their role and
responsibility at the ground level. The study too revealed that the training
was just a lecture exercises which was tough for an illiterate to understand.
On the other hand the study reports that the training course raised the
confidence level among the females who first time come from the four walls of
house.
Key words: - Empowerment, Panchayat
of Jammu and Kashmir, women, Training course.
Introduction:-
In our country the local Governance is
operated by the Municipal bodies in urban areas and panchayati institutions in
the rural areas. “Local self-govt denotes the right and the duty of local
authorities to regulate and manage public affairs under their own responsibility
and in the interest of the local population, the right shall be exercised by
the individuals and representatives of these bodies freely elected on a
periodic basis by the universal suffrage and their chief sectaries shall be
elected or appointed with the participation of the elected bodies”
(International union of local authorities declaration 1993). It is apparent
from the declaration of 1993 that the local representatives play a prime role in
transformation the local area towards the development. Strengthens the local
Government strengthens the entire nation by ensuring more effective and democratic
public policies (world wide declaration of local-self government 1988). In his
context the various governments of India took number of incentives for
empowering the local self – Government in this regard the 73th and
74th constitutional amendment which provides constitutional status
to these local bodies was the landmark in the history of local self govt. of India.
After that many more steps were taken by the Govt of India to empower the local
bodies and among these steps the Capacity building programmes for the
Panchayats was one of the move to make local Governance strong and fruitful for
the people at grass root level.
Why panchayat capacity building programmes
were introduced in the country?
Capacity
building is a energetic process of developing strengthen and institutionalising
the rules of the game, norms, standard operating, procedures skills, abilities
and resources that organisation, communities and individuals, need to survive
adapt and thrive in the fast chaining world of policy implementation( Ann Philbin
1996).
According to the Guidelines of Capacity building
programmes Govt of India. The programmes were started because of below
mentioning reasons:-
(a)
Boosting of information
and skills and attitude of Panchayat elected representatives to play a centre
role in performing their responsibilities at grass roots level
smoothly
§ Their
understanding of Local Self Governance, as well as – local planning and carrying
out of local need-based action plans rightfully, particularly cutting across
the inequalities of caste and gender.
§ Productive
thinking for solving local problems through participatory choice making across
PRI-set up.
§ Insight
for regular prioritisation of action points for responsive handling of public
grievances and development needs.
§ Provide
them with the effective skills necessary for day-to-day routine of executive
duties of the Panchayats.
Panchayats
in Jammu and Kashmir:-
In the context of Jammu and Kashmir which is
considered as a heaven on the earth due to its natural beauty. The state has a
special status in the Indian constitution under article 370 so the 73th
and 74th amendment is not applicable to the state. The state has
enacted its own Panchayati Raj act in 1988 which is called Jammu and Kashmir
Panchayati raj act 1988. The act could not be implemented immediately because
of the eruption of militancy in the valley which paralysed all the democratic
and other govt institutions. The valley became the battle ground which consumed
lot of human beings and destroyed immense property. It was the year 2001 when
the Government of Jammu and Kashmir conducted the Halqa panchayat elections but
these elections could not conducted smoothly in the valley even various constituencies’
remains vacant. After it was the year of 2011 when Government of the state
shows gravity in conducting the panchayat election.
The election was conducted in 16 phases started from April 13 and ending on
June 18 2011. The Panchayat elections of 2011 and the Panchayat elections of 2001
were conducted under the management of chief electoral officer due to the lack
of separate election commission for Panchayats as it was not mentioned in the
original panchayat act of 1989 so it was the April, year 2011 when the state
Government made an amendment in the original panchayat act of 1989 to set up a
separate election commission for the election of Panchayat. The 2011 panchayat
elections had lot of significance as huge number of people and youth
participated in this election despite the boycott call given by the
separatists.
COMPARATIVE FIGURES OF SARPANCH AND
PANCH CONSTITUENCIES
2001
AND 2011
|
Province
|
No. of Sarpanch
constituencies
|
No of Panch
constituencies
|
||
|
2001
|
2011
|
2001
|
2011
|
|
|
Kashmir
|
1472
|
2164
|
10469
|
15959
|
|
Jammu
|
1230
|
1966
|
10090
|
13760
|
|
Total
|
2702
|
4130
|
20559
|
29719
|
Source: Chief Electoral
Officer, J&K.
So it is evident from the above table
that the number of sarpanch as well as Panch constituencies had increased in
2011 panchayat elections.
NUMBER OF ELECTORS COMPARATIVE
FIGURES 2001 AND 2011
|
Province
|
2001
|
2011
|
|
Kashmir
|
1859311
|
2519024
|
|
Jammu
|
1942991
|
2549951
|
|
Total
|
3802302
|
5068975
|
Source: Chief
Electoral Officer, J&K.
From the
above table it is clear that the number of electors had increased in the
Panchayat election of 2011 from 3802302 to 5068975.
Capacity
building and Panchayat Functionaries of Jammu and Kashmir:-
The
significant responses of 2011, Panchayat election by the people in which 33847
sarpanches and panches has been elected across the state. The election was
conducted after a long time so most of the functionaries were elected first
times including the women. For the Kashmiri women it was the new field as they
come in public life in first time. A
significant proportion among these functionaries came from the non-political
background. So it was expected that the elected functionaries may face
challenges in the execution their role and responsibility at the grass root
level. Therefore it was essential to impart the skills through these capacities
building to elected functionaries. To make this possible the Govt. of Jammu and
Kashmir took the meeting of the core group on 3rd August 2011 to accelerate
the pace of capacity building process in the State. To fallow the decisions
taken in the meeting, the following methods were utilized.
·
District
Panchayat officers as Nodal training was listed by the Rural Development
Department of the state for organising the training at district level.
·
335
departmental resource persons were identified in Seventeen RGSY districts in
the State.
·
The
identified departmental resource persons were trained by the J&K IMPARD
both in Srinagar and Jammu. Latter on these resource persons impart the
training to the panchayat functionaries at block headquarter and sub block
levels.
Details of the training on Basic foundation courses
organised during 2011-12 in the valley in RGSY
|
S.No
|
District
|
No.
of Panchayats
|
No.
of ERs
|
No.
of training batches conducted
|
No.
of ERs trained
|
|
|
1
|
Srinagar
|
10
|
89
|
2
|
89
|
|
|
2
|
Ganderbal
|
103
|
847
|
21
|
847
|
|
|
3
|
Budgam
|
283
|
2438
|
61
|
2438
|
|
|
4
|
Anantnag
|
297
|
2351
|
56
|
2233
|
|
|
5
|
Kulgam
|
159
|
1219
|
31
|
1213
|
|
|
6
|
Bandipora
|
114
|
983
|
24
|
982
|
|
|
7
|
Baramullah
|
365
|
3271
|
82
|
3592
|
|
|
8
|
Pulwama
|
186
|
1536
|
37
|
1481
|
|
|
9
|
Shopian
|
103
|
866
|
22
|
848
|
|
Source: state action plan for CB&T
Activities in J&K 2012-13.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government shows a deep
concern regarding the empowerment of panchayats through these capacity building
programmes as the state is among the top ten states as per the incremental
index (Devolution across states empirical assessment 2012-13).the Incremental
index is based on the recent initiatives the states under taken since April
2011.
INCREMENTAL INDEX REPORT 2012-13
|
S.NO
|
STATE
|
INDEX VALUE
|
RANK
|
|
|
1
|
KARNATKA
|
50.83
|
1
|
|
|
2
|
RAJASTHAN
|
29.16
|
2
|
|
|
3
|
MAHARASHTRA
|
25.00
|
3
|
|
|
4
|
ODISHA
|
23.33
|
4
|
|
|
5
|
MADHYA PRADESH
|
16.67
|
5
|
|
|
6
|
CHHATTISGARH
|
11.67
|
6
|
|
|
7
|
HARYANA
|
8.33
|
7
|
|
|
8
|
BIHAR
|
7.50
|
8
|
|
|
9
|
KERALA
|
6.67
|
9
|
|
|
10
|
JAMMU & KASHMIR
|
3.33
|
10
|
|
Source: -
strengthening of panchayats in India: comparing devolution across states
empirical assessment 2012-13
Ministry of
Panchayati raj Govt.of India.
Responses
of Elected functionaries of Block Achabal
Block Achabal is located 11KM away in the
South of District Anantnag. The Block consists of 24 Panchayat Halquas and 159
panchayat wards.
|
Total
Population of Block.
|
74259/ Male 40604/ Female 33655.
|
|
Total number
of Households in the Block.
|
12430.
|
|
Total number
of Job cards.
|
5584.
|
|
Total area of
the Block.
|
13502 Hect.
|
|
Total number
of Panchayat Halqus.
|
24.
|
|
Total number
of Panchayat wards.
|
159.
|
Source: - collected
information by Author on 20 April 2016 from the Block.
The
responses of elected representatives were collected of 10 Panchayat Halqus of
block Achabal of Anantnag district through survey method. These Halqus are
Akingam, Hardpora, Brinty, Damhall , Shelipora, Thajwara, Immo, Mohripora, Isoo
and Gopalpora. The representatives from
these Panchayat Halqus who have attended the training programme at the Block
Achabal in which different resource persons impart them knowledge regarding the
functions of Panchayats and different central sponsored schemes for the
development of village. The most functionaries were illiterate so it was big
challenge for the resource persons (Block official Views).At last a certificate
and special books in both languages English as well as Urdu were issued among
these functionaries.
Research Methodology:-
A sample of 98 representatives from above
mentioned Panchayat Halqus (both male and female) were selected through convenience
sampling technique. The responses were collected from these respondents through
interview method.
|
Educational
level
|
Number
of respondents
|
|
Graduation
and above
|
2
|
|
Secondary
level
|
7
|
|
Middle
level
|
17
|
|
Primary
level
|
25
|
|
Illiterate
|
45
|
|
|
98
|
Findings of the study:-
·
It
was depicted from the study most the respondents( elected representatives) were
appreciated the Govt, for starting these capacity building for them at the same
time they also critique it because of short duration. One of the respondents
told ‘that in three days it is impossible for an illiterate who has never
gone to school to learn about the programmes of local governance’.
·
It
was found from the study that the most of the respondents told that training
was poor in quality as it was just the exercise of lectures which was very
tough for the Man who are coming first time in the local politics.
·
The
present study reports that despite the capacity building programmes the
representatives have failed to deliver their role and responsibilities at the
Grassroots level.
·
Most
of the female respondents told that whenever we went for the Training or other panchayat
meetings, we never disclose this to the people because then they see us in the
eye of disrespect. So we often told them we are going to the hospital or
mother’s house.
·
The
study found that because of these capacity building programmes, The confidence
level rose among those respondents who have never sit in the govt. office
especially females who were coming first time from the homes.
·
It
was also found from the study after training the govt did not show further interest
to empower the elected representatives.
·
The
study further observes that the representatives were motivated by their party
MLAS for contesting the panchayat election of 2011.
Conclusion:-
From above study it is clear that the
panchayat capacity building programmes which was initiated in the valley was
significant step towards the empowerment of panchayats. But the way it was
designed was not enough to empower the panchayat representatives. The time
duration of three or five days was very short as the representatives were
coming first time in the local Governance many of them even did not heard the
name of panchayat. The method of imparting the skills regarding the local
Governance to these elected representatives was indigent as it was lecture exercise
upshot of which many representatives was not in position to understand. After
the training the govt did not show gravity towards the empowerment of elected representatives.
These representatives claim that we are powerless and we are unable to meet the
expectations of the people who have given us vote for the purpose of
development.
References:-
·
.
Rekha Chowdhary, status of Panchayati Raj in Jammu and Kashmir a report.
·
Govt of India Guide lines for the capacity
building programmes.
·
Govt of India report of the working group on
capacity building 2010.
·
Govt.
of India report strengthening of Panchayats comparing devolution across states
empirical assessment 2012-13.
·
State
action Plan for the capacity building of Panchayat raj functionaries 2012-13
under Gashtrya Gram swaraj yojna RGSY in Jammu and Kashmir.
